Exam 3 - information Flashcards

1
Q

What is Paleoanthroplogy?

A

the interdisciplinary study of the hominin fossil record

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2
Q

What is a fossil?

A

Preserved remains, or traces of animals, plants, or other organisms that turned into rock

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3
Q

What is the process of fossilization?

A

process where the organic components of a material are replaced with minerals

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4
Q

What is relative dating?

A

Determining if a object is younger or older in relation to something else
TECHNIQUES:
-principle of superimposition
-Biostratigraphy

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5
Q

What is the Principle of Superimposition?

A

Rocks are deposited in layers, thus the oldest is on the bottom, and the youngest is on top

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6
Q

What is Biostratigraphy?

A

Relative dating technique that uses the association of fossils in strata (distinguishable layers in rock) to determine each layers to determines layers approx. age

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7
Q

What is Chronometric Dating?

A

Determining the absolute age of an object

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8
Q

What is Radiometric Dating?

A
  • Measures ratio of carbon-13 to carbon-12
  • has a half life of 5730 years
  • Organic material is 1,000-75,000 years old
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9
Q

What is Potassium-Argon Dating?

A
  • Measures ratio of potassium-40 to argon-40
  • half life of 1.25 billion years
  • Volcanic rocks 1-5 million years old
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10
Q

What is Paleomagnetic Dating?

A
  • Dating method based on earths shifting magnetic poles

- used on sedimentary rocks up to 5 million years old

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11
Q

What is the importance of the skeleton?

A

It gives us clues for:

  • locomotion
  • soft tissue details (brain size, muscles)
  • diet
  • individual features (sex, age, pathology)
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12
Q

What are key hominin features?

A
  • bipedal locomotion
  • large brain size
  • tool making
  • dentition
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13
Q

What is mosaic evolution?

A
  • Pattern of evolution where the ratio of evolution of one functional system varies from that of other systems
  • Different functional systems arose at different times
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14
Q

What is the Savannah Hypothesis?

A

Traditional bipedalism theory where the forests turned into savanahs, forcing adaptation to move about the ground. No real evidence

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15
Q

What is the Visual Surveillance Hypothesis?

A
  • Standing upright gave us vision improvement of surroundings (spot predators, locate food, find others)
  • Still clumsy runners
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16
Q

What is the Thermoregulation Hypothesis?

A
  • Vertical body position helped early hominins stay cool

- However many primates solve this by resting during the hottest points of the day

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17
Q

What is the Carrying Stuff Hypothesis?

A

-bipedalism theory where we walked upright to carry things such as food, young, and weapons

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18
Q

What is the Bush Hypothesis?

A
  • bipedalism theory where we started changing out diets to fruit
  • Can reach fruit and revert to quadrepedalism
19
Q

What is the Aquatic Ape Theory?

A
  • bipedalism theory where our ancestors would wade through shallow water to forage for food
  • buoyant water helped them develop upright walking
  • however no primates forage in water and there are tons of predators
20
Q

What is the Energy Efficient Theory?

A
  • Bipedalism = more efficient for long distances

- early on it was inefficient

21
Q

What was Lovejoy’s Provisioning Hypothesis?

A

Males carry resources back to females and dependent young

  • increased offspring survival
  • increased female reproduction rates
  • but assumes monogomy and fossils show sexual dimorphism
22
Q

What was Postural Feeding?

A

-Bipedalism needed for support on smaller branches

23
Q

What are the key advantages of Bipedalism?

A
  • Energy efficient
  • allows use of hands for carrying
  • better view of surroundings
  • helps keep body cool
24
Q

What is a bipedalism feature of skulls?

A

forearm magnem: located at base of skull

25
Q

What is a bipedalism feature of the spine?

A

S-shaped curvature

26
Q

What is a bipedalism feature of the pelvis?

A

Glutius maximus: repositioned behind the hip

27
Q

What is a bipedalism feature of the femur?

A

Angled inward

28
Q

What is a bipedalism feature of the knee?

A

robust joint, allows for full extension and locking

29
Q

What is a bipedalism feature of the foot?

A

Enlarged and in-line big toe, traverse and longitudinal arches

30
Q

What are the stages of Bipedalism?

A

Early Bipedalism: 7-6 myo, occasionally used biped
Occasional to Habitual Bipedalism: environmental change to terrestrial resources, natural selection favored bipeds
Obligate Bipedalism: environmental shift to savannahs, biped was more efficient for distance running

31
Q

What are running adaptations caused from Bipedalism?

A
Nuchal ligament (head stabilization)
Longer legs (longer strides)
Expanded joint surfaces (shock absorbers)
Increased balance
Increased vision, image stabilization
More power, spring energy, shocks
32
Q

What were the Pre-Australopithes?

A

Possible first ancestor in human lineage

33
Q

What was the evidence of Bipedalism in Sahelothropus tchodensis?

A

based on the orientation of the faramen magnum (spine)

34
Q

What was the evidence of Bipedalism in Orrorin Tugenensis?

A
  • Proximal femur
  • Slightly anteriorly rotated spherical head
  • Presence of an intertrchant groove
  • Elongated neck
35
Q

What was the evidence of Bipedalism in Ardipithecus Ramidus?

A
  • No prognation below nasal aperture
  • non honing complex
  • humerus
36
Q

What is prognathism?

A
  • Forward projection of the face

- Generally the maxilla or mandible

37
Q

What is the Honing Complex?

A

Upper canine is sharpened

-Diastema: gap to accommodate canines

38
Q

What are the key features of Australopithes?

A
  • bipedal
  • small brains
  • large teeth
  • thick enamel
39
Q

What are key features of the Genus Paranthropus?

A

adaptations for powerful chewing

  • huge molars and promolars
  • large deep mandibles
  • flatter face
  • broad flaring cheekbones
  • saggital chest
40
Q

What are key trends of the genus Homo?

A
  • increased cranial capacity
  • brain complexity
  • reduced tooth size
  • improved bipedalism
  • use of tools
41
Q

What is the difference between Homo habilus and Homo rudolfensis?

A

sheer size of brain, teeth, and longer face

42
Q

What tools did H. erectus use?

A
  • Acheulean tools
  • bifacial handaxes
  • concerned with shaped
43
Q

What tools did H. Habilus use?

A
  • Oldowan tools
  • Crude, pebble tools
  • interested in sharp edges